Pierce Gets Lift From Pica to Beat Harbor, 19-7

Los Angeles Harbor College started Steve Young at quarterback Saturday night against Pierce.

What the Seahawks really needed, however, was Joe Montana to engineer a game-winning drive.

Instead, it was Pierce quarterback Joe Pica who came off the bench in the second half and led the Brahmas to a game-clinching touchdown in the fourth period as they upended stubborn Harbor, 19-7, in a Western State Conference inter-division game at Harbor.

Young, no relation to the San Francisco 49ers quarterback of the same name, had a difficult night throwing the football, completing seven of 15 passes for 60 yards with one interception.

He was replaced in the final five minutes by backup Mark Choate, who was no Montana either, completing two of six for 40 yards with one interception.

The Pierce defense throttled Harbor in the second half, limiting the Seahawks (0-3 overall, 0-2 in conference play) to 102 yards and four first downs in the final two quarters.

Cesar Parra was a surprise starter at quarterback for Pierce (2-1, 1-1) and played the entire first half, completing five of 12 for 101 yards with one interception.

Pica, who had started Pierce’s first two games, came on in the third period and immediately drove the Brahmas to a score, although he threw just one pass.

“We’ve been a little sluggish at quarterback, so I gave Cesar a chance to be a starter and Joe (a chance) to be the fireman,” Pierce Coach Bill Norton said.

Most of the work on the 76-yard third-period drive was done by running back LaShante Parker, who was benched the first half because he missed a practice last week. Parker carried on five of the 10 plays, gaining 28 yards, as Pierce moved from its own 12 to the Harbor 12. The drive stalled there, and Steve Szekely kicked a 29-yard field goal to give the Brahmas a precarious 12-7 lead.

Although Parker played just two periods, he finished with 106 yards in 12 carries. Arie McQuaig added 81 yards and Anthony Florence had 64 as Pierce rushed for 297.

Pierce clinched the win with an 88-yard drive late in the fourth period. Parker’s 38-yard run and Pica’s 16-yard pass to Chris Fregeau highlighted the march, and Florence capped it with an 11-yard touchdown run with five minutes to play.

Pierce dominated most of the first period, racking up 117 of its 196 first-half yards, but the Brahmas scored only on a 37-yard field goal by Szekely.

Harbor put together a drive in the second period. Starting from their own 13 after a Parra fumble, the Seahawks marched 87 yards in 14 plays, scoring on Young’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Griffin. Jose Ordaz kicked the extra point, and Harbor led, 7-3, with 6 minutes 23 seconds remaining in the first half.

Pierce scored again just before halftime. The Brahmas took over at their own 30 with under three minutes to play and, after McQuaig picked up two yards, Parra connected with Kosal Uch for 24 yards, putting the ball at the Harbor 44.

Three plays later, Parra found Xavier Foreman for 33 yards, moving the ball to the Seahawk five. Two runs by McQuaig moved the ball to the one, and Florence took it in on a one-yard touchdown run with 37 seconds left in the half.